Stock former



Nov. 17, 1936; A. E. BORTON 2,

STOCK FORMER Filed Oct. 18, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 14L WV/V f'. BURTON WWEQW- NOV. 17, 1936. BORTQN I 2,060,794

STOCK FORMER Filed Oct. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 14L [gal N E. BURTON A ORNEY Nov. 17-, 1936. 'BQRTON 2,060,794

STOCK FORMER Filed Oct. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR AL WV/V E. BORTO/V AT ORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1936 PATENT OFFICE STOCK FORMER Alwyn E. Berton, South Orange, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Associated Patentees,

Inc., Ampere, N. J.,

Jersey Application October 18,

2 Claims.

7 This invention relates to the special class of machines known as Multi-slides, covered in United States Patent 1,883,513 of October 18, 1932.

More particularly, the invention relates to the strip forming mechanism disclosed in that patent, forming in part a continuation of the same.

The objects of the invention briefly, are to provide practical and eflicient mechanism for imparting cross-sectional shape to strip stock fed into the machine and to provide such apparatus in a simple substantial form, readily applicable to the machines now in use.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification illustrate one of the present commercial embodiments of the invention, this with the understanding however, that the structure may be modified and changed to suit particular requirements, all within the true intent and broad scope of the claims.

Fig. 1 is a broken plan view illustrating the positively driven die rolls for giving the strip stock the desired cross-sectional formation as it enters the machine.

Fig. 2 is a broken and partly sectional side elevation of the same parts.

Figs. 3 and 4 are broken end and part sectional views as on substantially the planes of lines 3--3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing a portion of the strip as given the desiredcross-sectional shape by the forming rolls and roughened or toothed by the knurling rolls. Figs. 6. and 7 are fragmentary sectional and elevational views of the indicating means for enabling pre-setting of the rolls, the same constituting an addition to or improvement on the apparatus shown in the parent patent.

Fig. 8 is a broken plan similar to Fig. 1 but showing in addition the recpirocating die mechanism for operating on the stock given the cross sectional form by the die rolls.

Fig. 9 isa broken side elevation of the feed slide structure for gripping the cross-sectionally shaped stock and Fig. 10 is a part sectional end elevation of the same.

In the present disclosure, the strip stock which in indicated at 8, passes into the machine through co-operating sets of forming rolls 9, ill, by which it is given the wavy cross-section shown in Fig. 5 and thence between companion backing and knurling rolls I l, I 2, by which the teeth I3 are out into the ridges or high portions M of the stock.

The forming rolls are journalled on vertical axes in a box or casing IS, with one set of rolls a corporation of New 1932, Serial No. 638,360

9 turning on the pivot studs [6 at one side of the feed line and the other set of rolls turning on the pivot studs I! at the other side of the feed line. Companion rolls of each pair are connected at the base by gears l8, l9, which may be deep mesh to permit of relative adjustment for diiferent thicknesses of stock. For the latter purpose, the pivot studs ll of rolls to are shown mounted in blocks 20, Fig. 3, slidably keyed at 2|, in the box I 5 and adjusted by set screws 22.

To facilitate quick setting of the rolls to various gages or thicknesses of material, the set screws 22 for the relatively movable rolls It! may have the indicators or pointers, such as shown at 23, Figs. 6 and 7 to register with appropriate scales or markings 24, conveniently readable on the outside face of the roll housing.

In Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the boxing or housing for the forming rolls is shown as having a removable cover portion 25, which may be taken 01f to enable inspection or removal of the rolls.

The forming rolls are positively driven in the illustration, by a gear 26, carried by a short shaft 21, journalled in the bottom of the box and meshing with the gears I8 of the rolls 9. Intermittent rotation is imparted to this shaft, to time with the other operations of the machine by the mechanism shown and including the bevel pinion 28, on the lower end of the shaft in mesh with bevel gear 29, on horizontal shaft 30, journalled in gear case 3|, said shaft being turned through the ball clutch 32, of which the lever 33 forms a part, said lever having pivoted thereto at 34, one end of a link 35, whose opposite end is pivoted on a crank pin 36, adjustably secured in the radial slot 31 of a crank disc 38. The power for operating the forming rolls may be and preferably is taken off one of the main shafts of the multi-slide machine. In Figs. 1 and 2, the cross shaft at the entry end of the machine is shown at 39, geared at 40, to the back shaft 4| and it is from the latter that power for the forming rolls is taken, by means of shafting 42, connected at one end with the back shaft by universal joint 43 and at the opposite end by universaljoint 44 with the shaft 45, carrying crank disc 38. This drive through universal joints allows sufficient flexibility for mis-alignment as between shafts 4| and 45, an important item when the mechanism is made up as shown, in the form of an attachment applied to the end of the machine. For attachment purposes, the base of the mechanism, indicated generally at 46, is shown in the form of a frame fitted to the end of the multislide machine at 41 and having the bearing portions 48 attachable by the bolts 49, in place of the regular bearing caps for the end shaft 39. This construction afiords a ready means for applying the forming rolls as an attachment to the end of the machine. If desired, the outstanding portion of the forming roll base may have a separate supporting pedestal, or be otherwise braced, as by means of the bracket structure indicated at 50, Fig. 2.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the stock, before it is formed, is shown as guided between the upper and lower edge gaging rolls 5|, 52, carried by vertically adjustable brackets 53, 54, secured by bolts 55, 56 and between the upright straightening rolls 51, secured in transversely adjustable relation at 58, by the bolts 59.

The backing roll I I is illustrated as of the same configuration as the forming rolls 10, so as to fit the formed stock and carry the pressure of the opposed knurling roll without deformation of the stock and these companion rolls are shown in Fig. 4, as carried by the brackets 60, 6|, secured in transversely adjustable relation on the ways 62, 63, by the bolts 64, 65.

The feed slide of the machine is indicated in a general way at 66, Figs. 1 and 8, the same being fully disclosed and covered in the parent case and in a copending divisional application issuing as Patent 1,959,853 of May 22, 1934, and reference is made to it here, to make clear the point that the forming rolls in some instances need not be positively driven and the feed slide be utilized to draw the stock through these die rolls. Usually however, the die rolls are combined straightening and forming rolls, as they may be considered, are positively driven. A special feature of the feed slide in the present disclosure however is that the cooperating jaws 61, 68, of the same are shaped, as shown in Fig. 10, to grip strip stock of the cross-sectional shape formed by the die rolls and thus to act more efiectively in forwarding such stock to the reciprocating die mechanism indicated at 69, in Fig. 8, for operating on stock of this particular crosssectional shape.

The knurling mechanism consisting of backing roll H and cooperating knurling roll l2, may, or may not, be used and similarly these may be positively driven instead of simply turning with the stock, as shown.

When positively driven, as here disclosed, the forming rolls may serve in part, or in certain cases be utilized entirely to act as feed rolls. Usually however, the feed slide is used and the forming rolls are timed to exert sufficient drag on the stock to accomplish the cross-sectional shaping of the stock without affecting the accuracy of the feed mechanism.

It will be realized that various shapes of forming rolls may be used to give the stock various different conformations as it enters the machine and coextensive with such shaping, the stock may be knurled, or cut, or split, or acted on in various other ways. This enables the machine to operate on pre-shaped stock, formed up, as it enters the machine, from fiat strip and hence materially broadens the field of accomplishment of such machines. As illustrated, the strip forming mechanism may be applied as an attachment to existing machines, but it should be realized that such apparatus also may be built in as an integral part of the original machine. Various other modifications and changes may be made all within the broad scope of the patent protection.

The die rolls operate in timed synchronous relation to the strip feeder and the gripping jaws of the latter may be shaped as indicated at 61, 68, Fig. 10, to conform to the cross-section of the formed strip or otherwise be adapted to take the strip as it is formed and advance it to the various bending and forming devices of the multi-slide machine.

The forming of a part of the base frame as upper bearing caps attachable as such to the metal bending, forming and shaping machine, makes the application of the invention to the forming machine a comparatively simple and easy matter and insures the proper alignment of the mechanism with the various metal forming and bending slides and dies of the machine. The stock is guided by the upper and lower edge engaging rolls 5!, 52, and by the straightener rolls 51, before it enters between the forming rolls and is subsequently guided between the rolls ll, 12, of the knurling device, as it leaves the forming rolls, which insures accuracy of work and proper cooperation of the mechanism with the various bending and forming operations of the machine.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a machine having shaft bearings which can be closed by bearing caps, a base structure having bearing cap portions engageable over said machine bearings and. whereby said base structure is attachable in definitely aligned relation on the machine base, shafting carried by said base structure and having coupling means by which the same may be connected in driven relation with shafting on the machine base, strip forming rolls mounted on said attachable base structure and means for driving said strip forming rolls from said shafting on the base structure.

2. In combination, die rolls for imparting a different cross-sectional shape to substantially fiat strip stock, reciprocating die mechanism for operating on strip stock of said particular cross-sectional shape, feed jaws shaped to grip strip stock of said cross-sectional shape and mounted for reciprocating movement between said die rolls and said reciprocating die mechanism and common drive means for reciprocating said feed jaws and for turning said die rolls on each feed stroke of said feed jaws a distance sufficient to cross-sectionally shape a length of fiat strip stock substantially equal to the feed stroke of the reciprocating feed jaws and whereby material of the required cross-sectional shape for the forming die mechanism will be drawn from the die rolls after being formed by said die rolls from fiat strip stock and only in the amount required for operation of the mechanism and the feed jaws at each return stroke will find stock cross-sectionally shaped strip ready to be gripped by said jaws.

ALWYN E. BORTON. 

